Viper Dave has agreed to let me drive his 1995 Viper RT/10 and I was wondering if you guys have any tips for a newbie. I know not to give it gas in a corner or let off the throttle suddenly, or anything suddenly for that matter. I know that it can spin the tires in any of the first 2 or 3 gears as well. I am looking for the stuff that I have not read a hundred times. Little things that you might have learned the hard way. We are going out for 2 or 3 hours, so I should have enough time to acclimate myself to the car. Please only serious comments. I really would like to do this in the safest and most enjoyable way possible. Thanks in advance for any hints or suggestions. I am very excited, but still very respectful of the responsibility that is entailed in driving such beast.
I know that it can spin the tires in any of the first 2 or 3 gears as well.
Not in a Gen 1 you can't... unless it's got alot of mods. Biggest thing that I had to get used to was the position of the pedals. It was easy at first if I had bigger shoes on, like boots, to hit two pedals at once. That's about it man. Have fun!
Thanks for the tip. Can you heel and toe very easily in the car? I am quite adept at it in my Volvo and BMW, but as you said, the pedals are a little different.
Thanks for the tip. Can you heel and toe very easily in the car? I am quite adept at it in my Volvo and BMW, but as you said, the pedals are a little different.
Depends on your heal n toe style. I don't have any problem. I slap my knee against the console, roll the ankle and hit the gas with the side of my foot.
Other folks put the ball or heal on the gas. That's too difficult for me.
Not in a Gen 1 you can't... unless it's got alot of mods. Biggest thing that I had to get used to was the position of the pedals. It was easy at first if I had bigger shoes on, like boots, to hit two pedals at once. That's about it man. Have fun!
Thanks for the tips guys. They are helpful. The reason I asked about heel and toeing is because I figured a car with this much engine braking might actually break the rear end free when you let the clutch out without matched revs. However, I suppose that if I don't feel comfortable heel toeing in the car, I could still match revs without being on the brakes. Speaking of the clutch, how is the engagement? Short, long, smooth, abrupt? Not that it won't be immediately apparent, but is it hard to shift smoothly?
Just don't go making generalizations after driving it. Every Viper is different. My 97 is much different than my 98. Not so much because of the year change but because of the way they're built.
Just don't do much with the car unless its pointed in a straight line, for about a year. At least, that's what I did.
I'm the opposite of Chuck with the heel/toe - I cannot at all roll my foot but I use my heel like a champ.
Without even attempting heel/toe, just get use to the pedal location first, its funky.
Funny! I can't use my heel for shit, but my feet are big enough that I use the ball of my right foot to brake and roll it over to the throttle to blip.
Speaking of the clutch, how is the engagement? Short, long, smooth, abrupt? Not that it won't be immediately apparent, but is it hard to shift smoothly?
It will depend on the clutch. If its a relatively new clutch, it will probably short and abrupt. If its got a lot of miles on it, then you will need to let the pedal out farther. I learned how to drive a stick on a brand new Toyota Tacoma, and it was pretty hard...there was a fine line where you could let it out or whether you had to feather it. A few days later, I drove my friends Toyota, which pretty much has no clutch left in it. Now that was easy to drive. Good luck...and HAVE FUN :thumb:
The people I let drive my car "typically" are scared shitless and can't even tell me which is their heel and which is their toe. I'd be glad if you were comfortable behind the wheel.....but not THAT comfortable.
Alright, maybe a little background is in order. Two summers ago, my buddy had the opportunity to babysit a Chevelle with a completely built 396 of about 480 HP. In that car, if you did not heel and toe, it had the tendency to lock up the rear wheels for a second or two. That is the reason I asked. Not because I plan on going nuts, I just did not want that to be a problem, so I asked if I should. Viper Dave can have plenty of confidence that I am not going to do anything aggressive. I am, indeed, a bit scared of the car and I am trying to make sure there are no surprises.
Not to be a buzzkill....but it's only a car. And it drives like most any other car, only faster on the edge. These cars are very docile until provoked.
Yeah, but it has such a bad ass reputation for its driving characteristics. The other cars that I have been in that were fast had weird characteristics. I already told you about the Chevelle. I also rode in a drag Civic (12.2 at 119) which, of course, had the boost come on like a shovel to the head. I just asked in case there was something weird, nothing more than that. I didn't expect much, but I figured it was better to be prepared. Thanks for all of your advice and I will do my best not to make the papers.
